The Scion brand landed in Canada late last year in a flurry of tech-savvy marketing strategies using social media, branded events and music to create a market niche. But Edsel Ford could have told you that marketing cannot save a poorly designed or manufactured product. Reality lies where there rubber meets the road and Toyota has wisely let the kids rule the playground while being supervised by some adult engineers. The result is a fun-filled concept that makes sense on today’s crowded roads.

Design:

We live in interesting times when your Dad’s Volvo is getting swoopier by the year and your 20-something kids are digging cars shaped like cardboard boxes. Scion’s two boxes are the xB and xD (there is no xC and no more xA, so don’t ask for one). Our test vehicle was a base model xD with the optional four-speed automatic transmission.

When compared to the other rolling boxes on the market, Scion’s do have more style and less quirkiness than say, the Nissan Cube or Kia Soul. The windows are upright and the hood and roof are flat but the designers did get some nice character lines included, particularly the front fenders and leading edge of the hood. The front grille is minimal and looks even smaller due to the aggressive front air dam framed by massive front wheel arches and big bumper. Two large brake duct openings (non-functional) reside on either side of the larger grille under the bumper. This look could only be found as body kits on tuner cars a few years ago.

The side profile of the xD reveals a large C-pillar at the rear, which looks good but does increase the number of blind spots when driving. Adjust the large side mirrors, equipped with turn indicators, correctly and this will not be a problem.

The cabin continues with the sporty theme with a nicely sculpted black dashboard with a carbon-fibre-like texture. The xD’s single Electroluminescent Tachometer and Scion Drive Monitor are front and centre for the driver and tell you all you really need to know when driving. The centre console stack is dead simple yet stylish set in a silver toned plastic surround.

The seats were not my favourites in this vehicle class. I found them to be high, flat and firm but I will give points for the fabric used. The rear seats are as firm and flat as the fronts but they can accommodate the average-sized adult thanks to the non-sloping roofline. Those rear seats do tilt and slide back and forth for comfort plus fold down to increase the cargo capacity.

Performance:

The Scion xD gets its power from a normally aspirated (i.e. non-turbocharged) 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with dual overhead cams and sequential fuel injection. This power plant generates 128 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and a respectable 125 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm. The xD comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic with a trick gated shifter.

All that zippy horsepower gets to the pavement via the front wheels, controlled by electrically powered rack and pinion steering. Turn-in is crisp and torque steer almost non-existent.

The Scion’s suspension is firm but not harsh with good road-holding thanks to MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam in the back. Braking is done with a combination of ventilated discs and rear drums, ABS and Brake-Force Distribution and Brake Assist standard. The xD rolls on P195/60R16 rubber fitted on 16-inch steel wheels, but the plastic wheel covers are very boring so do yourself a favour and keep them for your winter tires. Buy a nice set of alloy rims for the summer.

The xD is equipped with six airbags, three-point lap and shoulder belts at all five seating positions, and six advanced braking and control technologies – including Vehicle Stability Control.

Driving/Utility:

Toyota developed the Scion brand as a youth-oriented "nation", bonded by a love of art, fashion and music. Along the way, they also created a sensible compact car that isn’t stylistically boring, is a blast to drive in the city and gets very good fuel economy (7.6 litres per 100 kilometers in the city and 5.9L/100 km highway). Go figure!

The Scion xD’s handling can be described as nimble, quick and predictable. Predictable does not imply boring, it means that the xD doesn’t do anything it shouldn’t. Some sporty front-wheel-drive cars can become quite a handful when accelerating briskly, particularly on uneven pavement such as the roads of Montreal. The xD goes where you point it, no questions.

The best part of the Scion culture is customization. Scion has a nearly endless collection of accessories for both the interior and exterior of the vehicle, all specifically designed to fit correctly, no one-size-fits-all promises. Many of these accessories can be added on to the purchase price and paid for with your monthly payments or lease.

Toyota Racing Development has opened its catalogue of speed parts to modify your Scion so it can go as well as show. Parts range from sway bars, lowering springs and strut tower braces to engine mods like cold air induction kits. The TRD engineers know their stuff about performance having taken Toyota to the highest levels of motorsports. Scion-authorized accessories are designed specifically for the vehicle, all parts are quality approved at the factory, installed by factory–trained technicians, and backed by a warranty that is valid at Scion and Toyota dealers across Canada. How cool is that?

The xD starts at $18,100.00 with the automatic ($900.00). Add freight charges, etc. for a total of $19,625.00 plus taxes.

A fine choice for eclectic tastes

Kevin Mio

Scion’s arrival in Canada was much heralded and hyped. The brand, part of Toyota, was said to appeal to younger buyers.

However, the surprise over the first few months on our shores is that the people snapping up Scions are not exactly the people the company thought would be buying them.

Not that they are complaining about the sales, however, with more than 300 Scions sold across Canada in March.

Of the three models in the lineup, the xD is among the best sellers and I recently got a chance to get behind the wheel.

One of the reasons the xD could be so popular is its price, which starts at $17,200 before options, freight and taxes. That is the least expensive model in the Scion lineup that, for the moment, also includes the tC and xB.

The only option on the tester was the substitution of the standard five-speed manual gearbox for the optional four-speed automatic, a $900 extra.

Design:

Admittedly, Scion styling is not for everyone. It’s a little off the beaten path of automotive designs, and that is part of the appeal to some consumers.

At the front, the xD has somewhat of a snub-nose, with the hood abruptly turning downward.

The fascia is dominated by dual openings above and below the bumper that give the xD a taller appearance.

From the side, the xD has more conventional styling until you get to the back end, where the rear hatch is a straight drop to the rear bumper, completing a somewhat boxy look for the xD.

The inside on the tester is dominated by a sea of black, from the seats to the large black plastic panels of the dashboard.

The fit and finish appears to be quite good, and the gauge console is quite unique and interesting.

It is divided into three sections, with the middle reserved for a gauge that combines the speedometer and tachometer. To the left is the fuel gauge, with the odometer finding a home on the right.

The centre console is fairly straightforward, making things simple, with large dials controlling the ventilation system.

The one oddity is where they decided to put the button for the Bluetooth. Rather than being on the steering wheel, where most carmakers place it, the xD has the button in the centre compartment between the two seats. Not the best of placements since that means the driver would have to take his or her eyes off the road to push it.

Performance:

The xD won’t be winning races anytime soon, but it does have a decent amount of power under the hood.

Powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine, the xD has an available 128 horsepower and 125 foot-pounds of torque. It comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission, but the tester was equipped with the optional four-speed automatic.

I was a little disappointed to see a four-speed autobox on the xD, a transmission that at first glance appears outdated given some of the gearboxes on the market these days.

That said, the transmission’s performance wasn’t terrible even though the revs go a little too high under certain conditions before the gears change.

With the automatic transmission, the automaker says the xD consumers 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 5.8 L/100 km on the highway.

I get the feeling the xD would be just a little more fun to drive with a five-speed manual gearbox, one that is likely to be more popular with the younger crowd Scion hopes to attract.

Driving/Utility:

As I said above, I think the xD would be more fun with a manual transmission, but it’s still a pretty decent ride even with the four-speed autobox.

It gets going in a hurry and has no problem keeping up on the highways.

The ride comfort is on par with other cars in this segment, which means it’s neither limo-smooth nor rough like a truck. The xD’s ride is comfortably in the middle, making for a generally pleasant ride.

Road noise in the cabin does not reach a level that makes conversation impossible, so that is a good thing.

The xD has 10.9 cubic feet of cargo space available behind the rear seats. While that is not terribly spacious, it can be expanded by moving the rear bench forward a few inches or lowering the backs of the seats.

The xD represents a fun, compact drive that delivers good performance and equipment for a reasonable price tag. While still a relative unknown in a highly competitive market, people looking for something a little different – a car that will stand out in the crowd – might want to give the xD a spin.